16 U.S.C. § 6408: Emergency assistance

Summary

The Administrator may use money made available under section 6414 to give emergency help to covered States or coral reef stewardship partnerships when coral reefs face immediate harm. The help can respond to urgent threats such as disease outbreaks, invasive or nuisance species, coral bleaching events, natural disasters, industrial or mechanical accidents (like ship groundings, spills, or construction mishaps), and other urgent problems the Administrator adds. By February 1 each year, the Administrator must send a report to the appropriate congressional committees and the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. The report must say which urgent situations were considered but not given help and why. For each time help was given, it must list the location and the problem, who got the help, the results so far and expected, any NOAA activities that were cut back to provide the help, whether more work is needed to restore the reef, what should be done, and how much that would cost.

Title 16, §6408

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(a)In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under section 6414 of this title, the Administrator may provide emergency assistance to any covered State or coral reef stewardship partnership to respond to immediate harm to coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems arising from any of the exigent circumstances described in subsection (b).

(b)Coral reef exigent circumstances

The Administrator shall develop a list of, and criteria for, circumstances that pose an exigent threat to coral reefs, including—

(1)new and ongoing outbreaks of disease;

(2)new and ongoing outbreaks of invasive or nuisance species;

(3)new and ongoing coral bleaching events;

(4)natural disasters;

(5)industrial or mechanical incidents, such as vessel groundings, hazardous spills, or coastal construction accidents; and

(6)such other circumstances as the Administrator determines appropriate.

(c)Annual report on exigent circumstances

On February 1 of each year, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that—

(1)describes locations with exigent circumstances described in subsection (b) that were considered but declined for emergency assistance, and the rationale for the decision; and

(2)with respect to each instance in which emergency assistance under this section was provided—

(A)the location and a description of the exigent circumstances that prompted the emergency assistance, the entity that received the assistance, and the current and expected outcomes from the assistance;

(B)a description of activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that were curtailed as a result of providing the emergency assistance; and

(C)an assessment of whether further action is needed to restore the affected coral reef, recommendations for such restoration, and a cost estimate to implement such recommendations.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 6408, Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 209, Dec. 23, 2000, 114 Stat. 2805, authorized appropriations, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3931.

§6408 Emergency Assistance

Summary

Title 16, §6408

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Citations & Metadata